Practicing patients

Med student John Morash says that working as a simulated patient helped better prepare him for a career in medicine. (Nick Pearce photo)

Practice makes perfect—it’s as true for professional sports teams and musicians as it is for those in the healthcare field. But what do you do when your practice involves stitches and physicals rather than guitars and hockey sticks? That’s where the Faculty of Medicine’s Learning Resource Centre (LRC) joins the game.

The LRC provides simulations that allow future doctors and other health-care providers to practice their skills in a safe, secure environment. They specialize in simulation and evaluation, using different techniques to provide over 136 education projects from their office in the basement of Fenwick Place.

“Simulation is a big part of clinical experience,” says Bruce Holmes, executive director of the LRC. “It’s not meant to replace real practice, but compliment it. You really wouldn’t want to meet a healthcare practitioner who hadn’t practiced their skills.”

The heart of the program is their pool of 400 simulated patients, who are trained to participate in scenarios and procedures with students. The simulations allow students to practice their communication and clinical skills in preparation for exams and the real thing. 

Simulated patients go through a multi-staged interview process to make sure they fit the bill. 

“This is not role play; it’s very heavily scripted,” says Mr. Holmes.

They look for people who are articulate, open to new situations and able to think on their feet—people like Victor Henrikson.

“This is the geriatric section,” jokes Mr. Henrikson, as he points to his picture on a wall covered with snapshots of all the simulated patients. Mr. Henrikson’s been involved with simulations at the LRC since the centre opened in the mid 90s.

“The work they do here is so important,” he says.  “I’m glad to be part of it.”

Mr. Henrikson’s enthusiasm is echoed by everyone at the centre, all of whom know the importance of the work they do, perhaps no one more so than former simulated patient, and current medicine student, John Morash.

“Someone I volunteered with at the IWK was involved in the program,” explains Mr. Morash, who was a simulated patient while in high school. “She told me it was a lot of fun and that you got to learn about medicine. That’s what I was interested in doing, so I came over and applied.”

Now in his second year of med school, it’s safe to say his initial interest has panned out. Mr. Morash will be starting his clerkship next year, and hopes to practice family medicine after graduation. His time as both a simulated patient and student has prepared him well.

“Getting to experience the process from both sides has been really helpful,” he says. “It was nice to get some exposure when I was younger, to see that it was really what I wanted to do. Now that I’m a student, I appreciate it even more. The program sets you up with all the skills you need to be successful in your exams and down the road.”